Hosta plant named ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Hosta plant named ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ of very large, arching, long, ovate, green leaves having wavy yellow margins. The flowers are white with light lavender veins and blushing. Prior to flower bud opening, the floral bracts produce a broad, short, light lavender, water-lily effect of compact lanceolate bracts. ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ has excellent very large mounded habit and is useful in the landscape, as a specimen or en masse.

Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid (Tratt.).

Variety denomination: ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(b)(6)

Hosta ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ was first introduced by the inventor as anon-enabling description through the International Cultivar RegistrationAuthority registration in early 2020. No plants of Hosta ‘Drop-deadGorgeous’ have been sold, in this country or anywhere in the world, norhas any disclosure of the new plant been made, more than one year priorthe filing date of this application.

BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Hosta plant, Hosta‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ hereinafter also referred to as the new plant or bythe cultivar name, ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’. Hosta ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ wasa cross by the inventor between two non-patented, unreleased,proprietary hybrids on Jun. 14, 2012 at a wholesale perennial nursery inZeeland, Mich., USA. The female parent was identified as a proprietary,unreleased sport known only as “streaked ‘Niagara Falls’” (not patented)and the male parent was ‘Empress Wu’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,774. The newplant was assigned the breeder code 12-115-4 and passed the initialevaluation in the summer of 2014. It has been asexually propagated bydivision at the same nursery since 2018 and also by careful shoot tipplant tissue culture with the resultant asexually propagated plantshaving retained all the same traits as the original plant. Hosta‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ is stable and reproduces true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

There are nearly 7,000 registered and established Hosta cultivars withThe American Hosta Society, which is the International CultivarRegistration Authority for the genus Hosta. Several of these have greenleaf blades with variegated margins. The most similar Hosta cultivarsknown to the applicant are ‘Bridal Falls’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,594,‘Atlantis’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,093, ‘Satisfaction’ (not patented) and‘Wu-La-La’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,309.

‘Bridal Falls’ has similar ruffled margins, but the variegation iscreamy-white. ‘Atlantis’ has a more pointed leaf blade and the margin isnot as ruffled. ‘Satisfaction’ has leaves that are more bullate and themargin is less ruffled. ‘Wu-La-La’ has a larger habit and a more roundedleaf with a thinner variegated margin that is not ruffled. The femaleparent has leaves with random streaked variegation in the margin andcenter with ruffled leaf margins. The male parent has larger leaves andmuch larger habit with slightly glaucous leaves that are not variegated.

Other Hosta cultivars may have ovate leaf blades with yellow variegatedmargins and green centers, thick leaf substance or other individualtraits similar to ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ but the new plant differs fromthe above listed cultivars and all other Hostas known to the applicant,by the combination of the following traits.

-   -   1. Leaves are very large-sized, long, ovate, with broadly acute        apices and cordate base;    -   2. Arching leaves have a moderately-wavy yellow margin;    -   3. Leaf center is dark green with numerous featherings of        intermediate colors between the margin and center;    -   4. Flowers are white, faintly blushed with light lavender and        densely arranged on scapes with the first flowers beginning to        open above the foliage;    -   5. Floral bracts form broad, short, light-lavender, water-lily        effect well before flowers buds open;    -   6. Very large mounded habit and useful in the garden as edging        or front border, in containers, as a specimen or en masse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the overall appearance ofthe plant, including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate asreasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambient light spectrum,temperature, source and direction may cause the appearance of minorvariation in color.

The drawings show a seven-year-old ‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ plant in a trialgarden at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. with supplement fertilizer andwater as needed.

FIG. 1 shows the landscape foliage habit of a new plant just beforeflowering.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the immature flower scape with colorfulbracts.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the foliage.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hosta ‘Drop-deadGorgeous’, has not been observed under all possible environments. Thoseskilled in the art will appreciate that certain characteristics willvary with plants that are more mature or plants that are less mature.The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions,such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of a seven-year-old plant in a shaded trial garden inZeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta x hybrid;-   Parentage: Female or seed parent the proprietary “‘Niagara Falls’    streaked”; male or pollen parent ‘Empress Wu’;-   Propagation: Garden division and sterile shoot tip plant tissue    culture;-   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About two to three    weeks;-   Growth rate: Moderately vigorous;-   Crop time: About three months to four months to finish during the    spring in a one-liter container from rooted tissue culture plantlet;-   Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching;-   Root color: Nearest RHS NN155C when actively growing;-   Plant shape and habit: Hardy herbaceous perennial with basal rosette    of leaves emerging from rhizomes producing a large mound of arching    petioles and leaves and erect scapes flowering above foliage;-   Plant size: Foliage height to about 76.2 cm above soil line to the    top of the leaves, to about 104.1 cm tall to the top of the flowers    and to about 218.4.0 cm wide at the widest point at the soil line;-   Foliage description: Ovate; narrowly acute apex, cordate base;    margin entire, heavily sinuate; glabrous both surfaces, and. adaxial    matte and abaxial lustrous when young becoming slightly glaucous    with maturity; flexible but stiff; smooth, without blistering,    dimpling or bulging; deeply impressed adaxial veins and costate    abaxial veins; leaf blade profile tends to be slightly cupped only    on inner shoot leaves early in the season, and all leaves tend to    become flat to slightly arched distally later in season;-   Leaf blade size: To about 43.2 cm long and about 28.0 cm wide about    one-half of the way from the base; average about 36.5 cm long and    24.7 cm wide; margin width to about 2.5 cm wide, average 2.0 cm    wide;-   Leaf blade color: Early season and expanding adaxial margin nearest    RHS 145C and abaxial margin nearest blend between HRS 145C and RHS    145D, adaxial center nearest RHS 146C and abaxial center between RHS    146B and RHS 146C, adaxial intermediate colors comprising RHS 148D    and RHS 146D, abaxial intermediate colors comprising RHA 147D and    between RHS 148D and RHS 146D; mid-season and mature adaxial margins    between RHS 11B and THS 160D, abaxial margin between RHS 150D and    RHS 160D, adaxial center between RHS 137A and RHS NN137D, abaxial    center between RHS 189A and RHS NN137D, adaxial intermediate colors    comprising RHS 188C, RHS N138D and RHS145A with RHS N138D    undertones, abaxial intermediate colors comprising RHS 145B, RHS    145D and RHS 144B;-   Petiole: Glabrous and slightly glaucous both adaxial and abaxial;    deeply concavo-convex proximally and more shallowly concavo-convex    distally; stiff; to 64.5 cm long and 16.0 mm wide at base and about    10.0 mm deep near base, average about 58.0 cm long and 14.0 mm wide;-   Petiole color: Adaxial center between RHS 145A and RHS 146D, margins    about 1.0 mm wide nearest RHS 150D; abaxial center between RHS 145A    and RHS 146D, margins about 1.0 mm wide nearest RHS 150D;-   Veins: Thirteen to fourteen pairs and midrib; parallel; deeply    impressed adaxial; costate and asperous abaxial;-   Veins color: Adaxial nearest RHS 150D; abaxial nearest RHS 148D;-   Flower description:-   Buds one to two days prior to opening: Clavate with rounded apex and    narrow tube base; about 37.0 mm long and 8.0 mm in diameter at    widest with base narrowing in basal 12.0 mm to about 3.0 mm    diameter;-   Bud color: Nearest RHS NN155D distally and nearest RHS 155C    proximally;-   Flowers: Perfect; flared campanulate; outwardly; to 37.0 mm long to    exserted stigma; corolla fused in basal 20.0 mm, free in the distal    17.0 mm, about 37.0 mm long and 30.0 mm wide at tepal apices,    decreasing distally; corolla tube portion 12.0 mm long and 3.0 mm    diameter; persists for a normal period, usually about one day on    plant; flowers tightly arranged on scape;-   Flowering period: Scapes remain effective with flowers beginning    early-July for about four and a half weeks; with about 60 flowers    per scape; mostly secund;-   Fragrance: No detectable fragrance;-   Tepal: Two nearly identical sets of three, glabrous; entire margins;    -   -   Inner set.—About 39.0 mm long and 8.0 mm wide slightly above            fusion point; fused in basal 20.0 mm; clavate with broadly            acute apex; entire margin with 1.0 mm wide transparent            border; base fused into tube.        -   Inner set color.—Vitreous along margin; adaxial and abaxial            nearest RHS NN155D with adaxial having very faintly blushed            distal veins less pink and more lavender than RHS 76D;            corolla tube base adaxial and abaxial between RHS 76B and            RHS 76C.        -   Outer set.—About 39.0 mm long and 8.0 mm wide slightly above            fusion point; fused in basal 20.0 mm; clavate with broadly            acute apex; entire margin without transparent border; base            fused into tube.        -   Outer set color.—Adaxial and abaxial nearest RHS NN155D with            adaxial having very faintly blushed distal veins less pink            and more lavender than RHS 76D; corolla tube base adaxial            and abaxial between RHS 76B and RHS 76C.-   Gynoecium: Single; 43.0 mm long; superior;    -   -   Style.—Cylindrical; about 34.0 mm long, 0.7 mm diameter;            curved upward 90 degrees in distal 10.0 mm; color nearest            RHS NN155D distally and nearest RHS 145C proximally.        -   Stigma.—Puberulent; tri-lobed; about 1.2 mm across and 1.0            mm tall; color nearest RHS NN155A.        -   Ovary.—Ellipsoidal; superior; apex rounded; base rounded to            truncate; to about 6.5 mm long and 2.5 mm diameter in            middle; color nearest RHS 145A.-   Androecium: Six;    -   -   Filaments.—Six, approximately 32.0 mm long and 0.3 mm in            diameter; curved upward to nearly 90 degrees in the apical            5.0 mm; color distally nearest RHS NN155B, base nearest RHS            145C.        -   Anthers.—Ellipsoidal with rounded ends; near-basifixed,            longitudinally dehiscent; about 3.5 mm long and 1.2 mm wide;            color prior to dehiscing nearest RHS 164C adaxial and            abaxial between RHS 161D and RHS 158A; after dehiscing            abaxial nearest RHS 202A.        -   Pollen.—Spherical; less than 0.1 mm long; color nearest RHS            17B.-   Flower fragrance: None observed;-   Peduncle: Cylindrical; usually one per mature division; about 12 per    plant; glabrous, slightly glaucous; erect; to about 104.1 cm tall,    and about 10.0 mm in diameter at base, average about 92.0 cm tall    and 9.0 mm diameter at base;-   Inflorescence: Flowering portion about 30.0 cm long and 8.0 cm wide;    with large lavender blushed floral bracts subtending each flower;-   Peduncle color: Proximal portion below leaves nearest RHS 138C and    distal portion nearest RHS 138A;-   Pedicel: Variable in length; terete; glabrous; slightly lustrous;    about 10.0 mm to 14.0 mm long and 1.5 mm diameter; outwardly to    slightly drooping;-   Pedicel color: Variable; distally nearest145D, middle portion    nearest RHS 145B, proximally nearest RHS 145A with base nearest RHS    NN137D;-   Floral bracts: Each flower normally subtended by a single bract;    lanceolate; narrowly acute apex and truncate base; entire margin;    glabrous and slightly lustrous abaxial and adaxial; to about 8.0 cm    long 9.0 mm wide, decreasing distally; prior to flower development    forming compact attractive cluster about 12 cm across; drying before    flowers open;-   Bract color: Young distal adaxial and abaxial nearest RHS 85D near    longitudinal center with margins between RHS 85C and RHS 86B, older    proximal bracts nearest RHS 145D in longitudinal center with margins    between RHS 146D and RHS 145A;-   Fruit: Tri-valved dehiscent capsule; ellipsoidal to cylindrical with    apex apiculate to acute and attenuate base; about 32.0 mm long and    7.0 mm diameter;-   Fruit color: Nearest RHS 146D as maturing and RHS 161D when ripe;-   Seed: Typically about 30 per capsule; endospermic;    flattened-ellipsoidal wing surrounding embryo at one end of ellipse;    to about 9.0 mm long, 3.5 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick at embryo;-   Seed color: Nearest RHS 202A;-   Disease resistance: The thick glaucous leaves provide some    resistance to slug feeding. Other resistance to pests (including:    Odocoileus virginianus and Oryctotagus cuniculus) and diseases    common to Hostas is equal that typical of other cultivars. The plant    grows best and shows best coloration with plenty of moisture,    adequate drainage and light shade, but is able to tolerate some    drought when mature. Hardiness at least from USDA zone 3 through 8,    and other disease resistance is typical of that of other Hostas.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hosta plant cultivar named Hosta‘Drop-dead Gorgeous’ as herein described and illustrated.